It is well known in the vehicle industry that certain rotary accessory devices are often used in connection with vehicle motors. Two such well known accessory devices are alternators and starters. Alternators are used in connection with an engine, typically by being driven by a belt that is driven by the engine. Alternators have internal components which when rotated supply electrical power which may be used in the vehicle and/or engine. Alternators are typically removably but rigidly mounted via a bracket to the engine block or the chassis of the vehicle. In many cases, where a standard type of alternating mounting arrangement is used, the alternator has “ears” with holes that are mounted onto a post or belt attached to the vehicle permitting pivoting of the alternator so that the alternator can be pivoted around the post against the belt tension in order to install and remove belts, and provide a suitable tension when the belt is installed.
Starter motors are electrical motors which are typically removably but rigidly mounted to an engine or transmission casing and which have an electrically driven pinion gear extending from the starter motor that engages a component, typically gears on the flywheel of the engine, in order to be able to rotate the crank shaft of the engine to start it. There are a wide range of attachment mechanisms for attaching such a starter motor.
It is often desirable to test alternators and/or starter assemblies at locations where they have been removed from the vehicle, e.g., on a test bench. For example, such testing may be desirable before installing a new alternator or new starter or may be desirable for removing an existing alternator or starter for testing when diagnosing vehicle problems.
Conventional alternator and starter testers have been fairly complex in operation with limited safety features. This had been acceptable in the past due to the fact that most parts retailers employed skilled counter people and kept the test equipment behind the counters, away from the customers. As retailers have evolved into more of a merchandising customer-orientated retail environment, they have moved the test equipment to the front of the store so customers can interact with store personnel that test these components. The test is considered a service for the customers and efforts were needed to make the results legible for the customer and provide a solution to the customer's problem. The skill level of the counter person has declined as well due to increased personnel turn over. This resulted in a need for a simplified, yet accurate system to be used.
Retailers and alternator and starter component rebuilders are faced with a high percentage of the components that are returned for warranty work which are actually good and other problems in the vehicle are causing the customer's problem. This warranty problem can costs the industry millions of dollars each year. Thus, a need exists for an accurate and easy to use alternator and starter tester apparatus and method:
New alternators are becoming more complex to test. In the past, alternators were very simple in the manner in which they were energized and regulated. As technology has evolved the manner in which alternators are regulated has become more complex and diversified from manufacturer to manufacturer. Traditional test equipment has handled this technological evolution with complex and expensive methods.
Existing designs for alternator and/or starter testers may include an capability to attach a belt to the pulley of an alternator and drive the alternator belt with a motor. For testing starter motors, the starter motor may typically be connected to a device that provides power to the starter motor so the motor is selectively operated. Assembled in the prescribed manner, the alternator or starter can be subjected to significant currents and/or produce powerful voltages in an effort to test the components.
In order to prevent a prescribed voltage and/or current overload to an existing alternator and/or starter tester, mechanical devices such as circuit breakers may be integrated within an alternator and/or starter tester design. When triggered, the circuit breaker can be enacted to “pop” or provide an open circuit in an effort to discontinue applied voltage and/or current to the alternator and/or starter tester equipment. Discontinuing applied voltage loads and/or currents in the aforementioned manner may spare the alternator and/or starter tester from a certain amount of damage.
However, a certain amount of expenses an be incurred from servicing and/or replacing activated circuit breakers. Additionally, since circuit breakers are generally regarded as a mechanical device, they may have a limited life cycle which can be affected, at least to some extent, especially if the circuit breaker has been enacted one or more times. Furthermore, while a circuit breaker, for example, implemented within the design of an alternator and/or starter tester may prevent some damage, other damage may be incurred by some components of the alternator and/or starter tester equipment prior to the circuit breaker being triggered—e.g., solid state relays, high power diodes, transistors, etc. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a method and apparatus that can quickly, conveniently, safely and easily provide additional protection to alternator and/or starter tester equipment prior to triggering integrated shut-off devices such as an implemented circuit breaker device.